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A homeless veteran stand down will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at the Colorado National Guard Armory on 482 28 Road, Grand Junction. It is an ongoing project to provide homeless veterans a helping hand. Representatives from the VA claim office and medical people will be there, besides volunteers assisting with winter clothing and hot meals. Call John Koontz at (970) 248-7572, if you would like to assist or have any questions.

Annual chili supper

Don't forget the American Legion Annual Chili Supper at 6 p.m. Saturday at the post, 1055 Moffat County Road 7. It's all you can eat. It costs $5.50 for adults and $3.50 for children. It's a major fundraiser for the post.

INR clotting tests

For all those vets that our office is performing INR clotting tests, we are now trying to group testing to specific days to cut down our travel costs. When you receive your notification letter, call for an appointment. We will not give the test unless VA Nurse Peggy has authorized it. If you are not getting a letter two weeks ahead of your blood test, call my office. We are going to try and go to once a week for scheduling tests, currently we are looking at Wednesdays of the week you are scheduled.

Meeting with Salazar

Sen. Ken Salazar met with members of local veteran service organizations Friday after his ag presentation at Shadow Mountain American Legion Post. Salazar, and his staff assistant, Matt McCombs, updated the status for the community based outpatient clinic in Craig. He has also co-sponsored legislation to create an Office for Rural Veteran Affairs in each of the veterans integrated service networks across the U.S. Salazar supports mandatory funding for the VA. He also cosponsored S. 331 the assured funding for the Veterans Health Care Act. That bill is currently awaiting action in the Veterans Affairs Committee, of which he is a member, and he assures that he will do all he can to ensure it is passed in the full Senate.

Veterans Day weekend

Veterans Day weekend, Nov. 10 to 12, is rapidly approaching. Several ceremonies and special events are planned. All veterans and the community are invited to attend.

There will be observances at 8 a.m. Nov. 10 at the Craig Middle School flagpole, with the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars honor guards, then at 11 a.m. at the Moffat County High School flagpole. All students, parents and community members are invited to participate.

On Nov. 11 at the Elks Club, there will be a prime rib dinner for veterans and their spouse, or veteran widow and one guest. Attendance is limited by fire code, so the first 140 couples who RSVP will be able to attend. RSVP to Penny Nelson, president of the VFW auxiliary at 824-1793 or Mary Walters at 824-2923. The VA also urges all veterans to wear their medals on Veterans Day. The Honorable R. James Nicholson, secretary of Veterans Affairs, announced a veterans pride initiative "to remind Americans of the pride and honor in the hearts of those who have and are serving." This campaign is modeled after the Australian and New Zealand program that have their vets wear their military decorations on Australian and New Zealand Army Corps Day. Information on this campaign ca be found on the VA Web site, http:/www.va.gov/veteranspride/. Veterans can also obtain information to replace mislaid medals and confirm all the decorations to which they are entitled.

Veteran acronyms

Recent columns have a lot of veteran system acronyms thrown into the articles, I will try to list some of the most commonly used; when we, Colorado veteran service officers, and others in the VA system, spout when talking among ourselves and those that the general public or everyday veteran might not be familiar with

VA -- Veterans Affairs/Veterans Administration

VFW -- Veterans of Foreign Wars

VARO -- Veterans Admin-istration Regional Office

VAMC -- Veterans Admin-istration Medical Center

VHA -- Veterans Health Administration

DMA -- Division of Military Affairs (State)

DVA -- Department of Veterans Affairs (National)

DMVA -- Department of Military & Veterans Affairs (State)

DD-214 -- Discharge (separation papers)

CVA -- Colorado Veteran Affairs

CVSO -- County Veteran Service Office(r)

CBOC -- Community Based Outpatient Clinic

NSO -- National Service Officer/Organization

VR&E -- Vocational Rehab-ilitation & Employment

LVER -- Local Veterans Employment Representative

OIF -- Operation Iraqi Freedom

OEF -- Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan)

GWOT -- Greater War on Terrorism

VN -- Vietnam

TBI -- Traumatic Brain Injury

VISN -- Veterans Integrated Service Network (Regional)

PTSD -- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

PVA -- Paralyzed Veterans of America

DAV -- Disabled American Veterans

For information on these programs or other veterans benefits, call or stop in the Moffat County VSO office at 480 Barclay St., west of the Bank of Colorado parking lot. Call 824-3246 or use the fax (970) 824-7108. Our e-mail address is veterans@moffatcounty.net. The office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Other times can be arranged by appointment only.

Bring a copy of your separation papers (DD-214) for application for VA programs and for filing at our office.